Various devices designed for the treatment of substrates and similar articles are known in the art, with examples being shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,381,652 (Dishauzi), U.S. Pat. No. 3,196,832 (Zin), U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,457 (Laimbock), U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,988 (Croix-Marie), U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,024 (Bok), U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,785 (Ohkuma), U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,445 (Pender) and, more recently, U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,951 (Bard et al). The devices as shown and described in these patents are capable of providing a variety of different types of treatment for the article (e.g., substrate) being treated, including, for example, coating, cleaning and chemically reacting (etching). Accordingly, by the term treatment as used herein to describe the capability of the invention is meant to include the aforementioned functions (e.g., coating, cleaning and chemically reacting) as well as others (e.g., plating) discernible from the teachings herein. Additionally, by the term fluid as used herein is meant to include both liquids (e.g., etchants, water, etc.) and gases (e.g., air). As will be defined in greater detail hereinbelow, the instant invention is particularly adapted for treatment of substrates which will be utilized as part of the electrical circuit elements in an information handling system (computer) structure, such as an information processor. More particularly, such substrates may form what are referred to in the art as thin film, flexible circuitized substrates for use in various packaging embodiments of such processors. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to treatment of such substrates in that the invention may be readily utilized for treating several other different types of structures, including those comprised substantially entirely of metal or the like.
As particularly defined herein, the device of the present invention is adaptable for applying various fluids at different velocities and over different periods of time to at least one surface of a substrate located within the device. The invention will utilize at least two fluids (or one fluid, applied more than once) for this purpose, but is readily adaptable, as defined herein, for using several additional fluids, depending on the type of treatment being performed. The invention, as understood, operates in a relatively simple fashion and, additionally, is relatively inexpensive to produce and utilize. Most significantly, the invention as defined herein is readily adaptable for utilization in a mass production environment, to thus benefit from the various advantages thereof.
It is believed that a fluid treatment device possessing the advantageous features described herein and otherwise discernible from the teachings provided below would constitute a significant advancement in the art.